Coast to Coast to Coast during April and May 2018 (content still being added)

This trip is going under

So another few nights in the same location. What to do in Calsbad? The main attraction in the area is the Carlsbad Caverns National Park. My arrival to the caverns was in the afternoon, just after 2pm. With the elevator out of order, access to the Caverns was by foot, via the Natural Entrance. The hike therefore would be down and up!

Natural Entrance Self-Guided Trail

The 1.25 mile (2 km) Natural Entrance Trail is extremely steep. Depending on if you decide to hike up or down, you gain or lose about 750 feet (229 m)—equivalent to walking up or down a 75-story building. The hike takes about one hour (on average) to complete. This trail is not recommended for visitors with heart or respiratory conditions.

It is nice to get out of the baking New Mexico sun as the caverns are entered.

The sheer depth and size of the caverns is simply breathtaking.

Walking with a steady pace, the walk down into the caverns, just keeps going down, down, down. Some stages were very steep, requiring holding onto side rails, other areas flattening out, but still down, down, down.

Watching others struggle, sweating, short of breath, ascending, as I continued going down, began to be a concern. After all, I would still have to retrace my steps too!

Eventually…… I’d had enough. I’d came into the caverns without any water, and sweat was running down my face. I asked a steward how far away was the main room. “about 15 minutes”. Nope, I wasn’t going to make the main room, as that would be 30 minutes more + time in the main room + every step already taken down, back up… Too much! I’d seen enough and I could always come back, when the elevator was working!